Love Conquers Everything
by ChokolateKiss
Summary: Set after the Cullens and Edward left. Bella was heartbroken so she began a friendship with Jacob. He wants more but she still aches for Edward. What happens when he comes back? I'm adding my own backstory to Edward and the Cullens. Edward&Bella. R & R
1. Chapter 1

As she sat at the wheel of her truck behind a red light, Bella Swan's eyes darted towards the forest beyond the road she had been traveling on. As her eyes focused on the swaying trees, her mind quickly wondered back to the person who had broken her heart months ago.

_Edward_, she thought with a sigh.

He was a vampire but he and his family were vegetarians, only drinking the blood of animals and refusing to hurt any humans. When Bella had first met him, she had thought him to be breathtakingly beautiful. It had been love at first sight for both, but neither knew it at the time. Although he had initially tried to stay away from her, he had eventually returned to school and she had confirmed her suspicions about him and the rest of the Cullens. He had been honestly surprised when she wasn't afraid of him or what he was. Thinking back, Bella smiled softly. How could she ever be afraid of him?

They had begun an unorthodox relationship and Bella soon came to realize that she couldn't live without him. He started spending the nights with her in her bedroom and she always curled up on his chest, feeling warmth and safety in his cold embrace. When James and Victoria had attacked them, Bella realized that Edward had been more afraid than she had been; only he was afraid for her instead of himself.

_Edward_, she sighed again.

Prom night had been the best night of her life up until that point. If Bella would have said that before moving to Forks, she would have immediately laughed at the thought. But she had spent that night secure in his arms as he slowly moved her around to the music. She had wanted him to turn her into a vampire so she could be with him for eternity, but he had refused to end her life. As afraid as she had been during her confrontation with James, staring into his sad eyes that night made her realize that something scared her even more: not being with Edward.

_Edward_, she sighed once more.

Next came her doomed birthday. Despite Bella's best efforts, Alice and the Cullens had thrown her a celebration and that's when everything changed. She had gotten a paper cut and Japser, the newest member of the Cullen family, had attacked her. When Edward had pushed her aside to keep her safe, she had landed in glass causing even deeper cuts and this had driven Jasper mad. Although she didn't hold any blame towards Japser, she couldn't change what had happened.

After her birthday, Edward had kept mostly to himself and hardly spoke to her. Even though he still spent every night in her bedroom and every day with her at school, she realized that something had shifted within him. She simply braced herself for what she knew deep down was coming. But when he broke up with her days later, he had been almost cruel. He had told her he never loved her and had been rather convincing with his words. She had always thought that she, a mere clumsy mortal, had never been good enough for him but hearing the words was too much to take. When he left her standing there in the forest, she had felt as if her heart and been ripped right out of her chest and torn into shreds. The Cullens had disappeared quickly after and that had been the last she had seen or heard of any of them. That had been the last she had seen him.

_Edward_, she sighed a final time when the honking from the car behind her brought her back to reality.

Stepping on the gas, she made a left turn and began heading towards her home. After going through the motions like a zombie the past few months after his disappearance, she had managed to pull herself together for Charlie's sake. To give him some piece of mind, she had begun spending time with Jacob Black who had quickly grown into her best friend. As time passed and she and Jacob spent more time together, she started feeling more like the old Bella. They had fun together and spent most of their days joined at the hip, but she knew that something was missing. Jacob had been more than forward about his growing feelings for her, but looking into his eyes, she couldn't say yes to him. She knew he'd make her happy and he'd never leave or hurt her, but a part of her still craved for what she couldn't have. If she had been truthful, her entire heart still craved for _him_.

Bella had insisted to Jacob that she wanted to remain friends and nothing more, knowing that if she were to start dating him, she'd eventually hurt him. Her heart couldn't be faithful because it still longed for the person who had hurt her months ago. Even though she'd never voiced these thoughts to anyone, especially Jacob who despised the Cullens and Edward in particular, she couldn't help but secretly long for him. She knew that he would never return, but if by some miracle he did, would she forgive him for leaving her? Would she forgive him for hurting her so badly?

Bella was unsure what her answer was as she pulled her truck into her driveway. It was almost four in the afternoon and Charlie wouldn't be back for a few more hours. Getting out of her truck, she began walking towards her front door when Jacob suddenly appeared, cutting her path off.

"Hey!" he exclaimed.

"Jake, I'm so glad to see you," she replied with a genuine smile. "What's going on?"

"Well, I was wondering if you had any plans tonight," he began casually. "Did you want to catch a movie and dinner or something?"

She stared at the boy who had become her best friend over the past few months and sighed.

"Jake…," she started but he cut her off.

"Just as friends," he insisted before closing the distance between them. "I said I'd wait for you to be ready, Bella, and I meant it."

She smiled softly at him before finally nodding. "Sure, sounds good."

As he turned and walked away with a wide grin, she thought back to everything she had learned about Jacob and his family. They were descendents of a clan of werewolves and Jacob had begun his transformation weeks ago. She had been with him one night when she had seen him transform and the site had scared her terribly. Even at his most ferocious when he was battling with James, Edward had never scared her. She had never been afraid of him.

Jacob had disappeared for a few days, desperate to get his transformation under control and with help from his father Billy and a few friends from the reservation, he had been able to do just that. He had apologized to Bella for scaring her and once she had forgiven him, they had gone back to their normal daily routine.

Bella thought about the idea for a moment before laughing dryly: her best friend was a werewolf and she was in love with a vampire. She really was a freak.

Suddenly pausing at the words, her smile slowly disappeared. She hadn't voiced those words for months but had always known deep down in her heart that her feelings for Edward had never changed. He was the first thought she had every morning and the last face she'd picture every night. She felt empty after he had left her. Even though Jacob gave her a reason to wake up in the morning, she knew she'd never be whole again.

_Edward_, she thought for a final time before walking inside her house and shutting the door behind her.


	2. Chapter 2

I don't own Twilight or the characters. The parts that are in Italics are from the novel :)

Two

As night slowly approached, Bella laid peacefully in her bed, wrapped tightly in her blanket. A soft smile approached her face as she dreamed a happy memory from before.

_"I don't scare you?" Edward asked playfully, but I could hear the real curiosity in his soft voice. _

_"No more than usual."_

_He smiled wider; his teeth flashed in the sun._

_I inched closer, stretched out my whole hand now to trace the contours of his forearm with my fingertips. I saw that my fingers trembled, and knew it wouldn't escape his notice._

_"Do you mind?" I asked, for he had closed his eyes again._

_"No," he said without opening his eyes. "You can't imagine how that feels." He sighed._

_I lightly trailed my hand over the perfect muscles of his arm, followed the faint pattern of bluish veins inside the crease at his elbow. With my other hand, I reached to turn his hand over. Realizing what I wished, he flipped his palm up in one of those blindingly fast, disconcerting movements of his. It startled me; my fingers froze on his arm for a brief second._

_"Sorry," he murmured. I looked up in time to see his golden eyes close again. "It's too easy to be myself with you."_

_I lifted his hand, turning it this way and that as I watched the sun glitter on his palm. I held it closer to my face, trying to see the hidden facets in his skin._

_"Tell me what you're thinking," he whispered. I looked to see his eyes watching me, suddenly intent. "It's still so strange for me, not knowing."_

_"You know, the rest of us feel that way all the time."_

_"It's a hard life." Did I imagine the hint of regret in his tone? "But you didn't tell me."_

_"I _was_ wishing I could know what you were thinking..." I hesitated._

_"And?"_

_"I was wishing that I could believe that you were real. And I was wishing that I wasn't afraid."_

_"I don't want you to be afraid." His voice was just as soft as a murmur. _

_I heard what he couldn't truthfully say, that I didn't need to be afraid, that there was nothing to fear._

_"Well, that's not exactly the fear I meant, though that's certainly something to think about."_

_So quickly that I missed his movement, he was half sitting, propped up on his right arm, his left palm still in my hands. His angel's face was only a few inches from mine. I might have – should have – flinched away from his unexpected closeness, but I was unable to move. His golden eyes mesmerized me._

_"What are you afraid of, then?" he whispered intently._

_But I couldn't answer. As I had just that once before, I smelled his cool breath in my face. Sweet, delicious, the scent made my mouth water. It was unlike anything else. Instinctively, unthinkingly, I leaned closer, inhaling._

Bella eyes shot open and she quickly sat up in her bed, running a hand through her long hair. Rubbing her eyes, she threw her blanket aside and took a few deep, calming breaths. She had dreamt of Edward every night before they had come together and after when she had slept in his arms every night. Even now that he had left, her mind couldn't help but wonder back to him. As the memory she had just dreamt floated back to her, she smiled softly, remembering their words after he had pulled away from her in that moment.

_"And for all that," he continued, "I'd have fared better is I had exposed us all at that first moment, than if now, here – with no witnesses and nothing to stop me – I were to hurt you."_

_I was human enough to have to ask. "Why?"_

_"Isabella." He pronounced my full name carefully, and then playfully ruffled my hair with his free hand. A shock ran through my body at his casual touch. "Bella, I couldn't live with myself if I ever hurt you. You don't know how it's tortured me."_

_He looked down, ashamed again._

_"The thought of you, still, white, cold…to never see you blush scarlet again, to never see that flash of intuition in your eyes when you see through my pretenses...it would be unendurable." He lifted his glorious, agonized eyes to mine. "You are the most important thing to me now. The most important thing to me ever."_

_My head was spinning at the rapid change in direction our conversation had taken. From the cheerful topic of my impending demise, we were suddenly declaring ourselves. He waited, and even though I looked down to study our hands between us, I knew his golden eyes were on me._

_"You already know how I feel, of course," I finally said. "I'm here...which, roughly translated, means I would rather die than stay away from you." I frowned. "I'm an idiot."_

_"You are an idiot," he agreed with a laugh. _

_Our eyes met and I laughed, too. We laughed together at the idiocy and sheer impossibility of such a moment._

_"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb...," he murmured._

_I looked away, hiding my eyes as I thrilled to the word._

_"What a stupid lamb," I sighed._

_"What a sick, masochistic lion." He stared into the shadowy forest for a long moment, and I wandered where his thoughts had taken him._

Bella smiled at the memory, of the time when they had declared their love for one another. Almost instantly, the memory faded away and a feeling of pain and emptiness entered her. He was gone. He had hurt her and left her in ruins without ever looking back. What she would give to go back in time.

Sighing, she got out of bed and moved towards her mirror. Staring at her reflection, she realized that she had become even thinner than before with small bags under her eyes. Glancing at the clock on her bed stand, she opened her door and moved towards the single bathroom. She had to put on a happy face since she was meeting Jacob in half an hour and the last thing she wanted was to fight with him over someone who had left her months ago.

After a few minutes of getting ready, Bella finally bid Charlie goodbye and began driving towards the only theater in town. As she drove down a road near the same forest, Edward's face reappeared in her mind. At first when she would see his face, she had tried her hardest to push it away. But as time went by, she realized that memories were all she had left of him and she desperately wanted to hold onto every moment.

Although she had been spending most of her days with Jacob, it was _his_ face that never left her mind and _his_ name that never left her heart. She would always be his, whether he wanted her or not.

Wanting to clear her mind before she met up with Jacob, she pulled off the side of the road and stopped in a café parking lot. Closing her eyes, she took a few deep breaths to relax the tense muscles in her body. She was suddenly startled when she reopened her eyes and noticed that the passenger seat was occupied.

"Alice?" she asked in surprise, blinking her eyes repeatedly in case it was a hallucination.

The petite brunette simply smiled at her as Bella slowly pulled away, her face and voice turning into ice.

"What are you doing here?" she demanded.

"I wanted to see you," Alice replied.

"Oh, really?" Bella said in disbelief. "_Now_ you want to see me after disappearing off the face of the Earth?"

Alice looked down at her hands in silence.

"You left," Bella snapped at her, unable to hold her anger in. "You _all_ left!"

"I know you were hurt, Bella. I _saw_ it," Alice said quietly, still not looking at her.

"So why are you here now? To apologize?" Bella snapped as the other girl's eyes finally found hers.

"I'm here to tell you a story," she stated, her words catching Bella by surprise and confusing her. "I know you don't owe me anything, but will you listen to my story?"

Although she wanted to scream at Alice to get out and leave her alone, another part of her, the part that missed her and the rest of the Cullens so deeply, sat back in her seat. Alice took the move as permission to begin.

"I love Carlisle, Esme, Rosie, Emmet and especially Jasper. But Edward will always have a special place in my heart. He's my brother and I love him dearly. I had to do right by him," Alice began as Bella flinched at the mention of his name. "Did he ever tell you about his past? Before he was turned?"

Bella shook her head no, unsure where any of this was going.

"He was born in 1901 and his father Steven was a Minister. When the Church realized that he wasn't a devout follower of the cloth, they kicked him out. This caused him to transform into someone who was angry and bitter all the time. He became someone who behaved like an animal at home," Alice explained, the story catching Bella's interest. "Edward's mother was a weak soul and she put up with everything. Edward was the oldest child but he had a younger brother Peter and a younger sister Jane."

Bella frowned at her words, having never heard the story before.

"After he was stripped of his position at the Church, Steven became the purest form of evil you can imagine...and that's a lot coming from a vampire," Alice began with a little laugh before shaking her head. "He would come home and…."

"What?" Bella found herself asking.

"Hurt them," she finished. "Jane and Peter were too young so he focused on Edward and his mother."

"What do you mean by 'hurt them'?" Bella asked.

Alice looked up and her eyes confirmed Bella's suspicions.

"He was an evil man and the beatings went on for years," she explained. "Finally, one day when Edward was fifteen, he fought back."

Bella looked away for a moment as sadness filled her eyes.

"When Steven was unconscious, the four of them quickly ran away. They had no money and no family so they ended up in the streets," she explained sadly. "He started stealing and pick-pocketing to make a couple dollars to feed his family. One day, this elderly couple took pity on them and let them stay in the third floor of their home."

"He never mentioned any of this," Bella said in a whisper.

"No he didn't and he never would have," Alice said in agreement. "He'd hate me for telling you this now, but I feel as if you need to know."

With that, Alice looked out of the front windshield for a moment, lost in her thoughts, before she turned back to Bella.

"Then he turned seventeen," she continued. "I don't know how he did it, but Steven found them. Their mother had gone to get some fruit from the street vendors when he showed up. He and Edward got into a fight, Steven knocked over some candles...and the whole place caught on fire. Jane and Peter were screaming from the other room, afraid as the flames grew stronger but he wouldn't let Edward go."

Bella sat up in her seat and watched the petite brunette intently.

"The fight moved towards the window and he pushed Edward out. He fell three stories down, hitting the concrete with his back. He was lucky that he wasn't paralyzed," Alice explained as tears began forming in Bella's eyes. "All he remembers is Peter and Jane screaming from upstairs, but he couldn't move. He couldn't do anything."

Alice looked away again with a sadness in her voice that Bella understood.

"When he woke up in the hospital, Carlisle, who had become his doctor, told him that his father had escaped but his brother and sister had burned to death in the fire," she stated quietly.

"Oh my God," Bella gasped, clasping her hands over her mouth as the first tear streamed down her cheek.

"He's never forgiven himself for their deaths. Even though it wasn't his fault, he's always blamed himself. He still hears their screams sometimes," Alice explained.

Bella looked away, desperately wanting to leave her truck and stop listening, but she was glued to her seat and unable to move.

"Carlisle's heart went out to him and he loved Edward like a son from the first moment he saw him," Alice continued. "Barely three months passed before his mother and he both got the Spanish flu. After she passed away, Carlisle turned Edward. A part of Carlisle hates himself for doing it because he ripped away Edward's chance of finding peace. But now he's immortal and forever haunted with the memories and voices that refuse to leave. I think it's because he heard the voices of his brother and sister so vividly after their deaths that he produced the ability to read minds."

Bella looked away sadly as her heart began breaking.

"After Edward was turned, he hunted his father down and eventually caught up with him. He was the only human Edward ever killed," Alice stated before sighing. "He left you to protect you, Bella."

Bella looked up at this part and frowned. She was about to speak when Alice held up her hand and quieted her.

"He loves you so much, Bella. He always has but he'd rather live the rest of eternity in pain then have you hurt because of him. After James and then the incident with Jasper, he just couldn't do it anymore," she explained before smiling sadly. "He's miserable and he's never stopped loving you, not even for a second. But after everything that happened, it was ultimately the guilt he carries over the deaths of his brother and sister that pushed him into leaving you."

More tears streamed down Bella's cheeks as she listened.

"He always said living forever with his guilt was his punishment and Carlisle hates himself for this," Alice continued. "Edward thought that his punishment was to go through eternity alone but then he met you and he fell in love. As vampires, we're very strong and gifted but it's always mixed with danger. He would never forgive himself if something happened to you, so he left. But his heart never left this place. His heart never left _you_."

Bella looked away as her tears refused to end. "Why are you telling me this? Why are you doing this to me?"

She closed her eyes in an effort to stop the tears, but it was useless.

"Why?" she cried. "Are you trying to hurt me more than I already am? Give me more reasons why I can't have him?"

"No," Alice said softly as Bella opened her eyes and faced her. "I wanted you to understand him and why he left. Why we all left. I wanted you to understand who he is and that he loves you more than anything in the world, but his need to protect you was intertwined with the guilt he feels over not protecting _them_."

Bella looked down at her nervous hands, trying to comprehend everything she had just heard.

"We're moving back to Forks tomorrow," Alice said as her words made Bella's head shoot up. "We convinced him to return with us for our sake, but it was mostly for his. He swore he'd stay away from town so you wouldn't have to see him, but I know how much he desperately misses you."

Bella's eyes held the shock as Alice sighed.

"Did he send you here to speak with me?" Bella suddenly asked.

When Alice shook her head no, Bella felt a tang of disappointment tug at her heart. Before she could say anything, she felt Alice lean in towards her.

"Forgive him, Bella," she pleaded softly. "I know he hurt you badly, but he never believed that he deserved you or your love. Please forgive him."

With that, Alice stepped out of the truck and disappeared into the night, leaving Bella alone to her thoughts. She couldn't believe what she had just heard. Her heart broke once more as she remembered Alice's words and the pain and guilt Edward had carried with him all these years. Her heart then soared at the thought of seeing him again, especially now that she knew he really _did_ love her as she loved him and had only left to protect her. But could she forgive him so easily? She had been so hurt the past few months and had simply gotten better at hiding it from everyone else. Could she forgive him?

Her mind was plagued with dozens of thoughts and questions as she pulled back onto the road and turned her truck around. Within ten minutes, she was parked in her driveway and closing the door to her house behind her.

"Hey, you're back already?" Charlie asked from his seat in front of the television, but she hardly heard his words.

"I'm tired," she managed to say. "I'm going to go to bed."

Before he could ask her anything further, Bella ran up the stairs, closed her bedroom door and collapsed on her bed. They were coming back tomorrow. _He_ was coming back tomorrow. Everything she had learned about him tonight shed light to his protectiveness towards her. But could she forgive him?

_Edward_, she sighed before closing her eyes and letting sleep wash over her.

As her breathing slowed and memories of their time together crept back into her dreams, all thoughts of her planned evening with Jacob faded away.


	3. Chapter 3

It was the afternoon before Bella finally emerged from her bedroom. She had spent the entire night tossing and turning, memories of old and new plaguing her mind. Taking a deep breath at the top of the stairs to calm herself, Bella walked the rest of the way down and ran into Charlie in the kitchen. He was seated at the table with a coffee in one hand and the Forks Newspaper in the other. Saturdays were the only days of the week where Charlie was allowed to sleep in for a few hours before going to work, allowing his two deputies to be in charge before he went in.

"Morning Bells," he greeted her without looking away from the text.

"Morning," she mumbled before taking a seat next to him. "Hey Char--Dad…a bunch of friends from school are going down to the beach to camp out for the night. Is it okay if I go?"

Looking up, he laid the newspaper flat on the table between them.

"Will it be near the reservation?" he asked but she shook her head.

"No, not La Push," she replied. "Kalaloch Beach."

Charlie seemed to contemplate the thought for a moment before looking back at her.

"You'll have your cell on you the whole time?" he asked and she nodded. "Alright, have a good time."

"Thanks," she said quietly before dashing up the stairs and back into her room.

She took ten minutes to pack a few essentials into her backpack, desperate to get _his_ name and face out of her mind, even if it was only for one night. When she walked back downstairs and wore her jacket, Charlie rose to his feet.

"Bella, are we going to talk about it?" he began as she turned to face him.

"About what?" she asked with a slight frown.

"I know that the Cullens are back," he said, his words causing her to freeze. "Have you seen any of them?"

"No," she quickly lied, deciding to keep her encounter with Alice a secret.

"Are you going to see any of them?" he pressed on but she knew Charlie meant _him_.

"No," she replied quietly and looked away. "Angela's waiting for me outside. I have to go."

With that, she leapt out of her door and ran down the driveway where her friend was waiting. Charlie watched her go, unsure what to make of her behavior.

"Hey," Angela greeted with a smile as Bella sat next to her.

"Hey," she mumbled and looked out of her window as Angela pulled out of the driveway and onto the road.

"Are you okay, Bella?" she asked after a few minutes.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she replied quickly, wanting to change the subject. "So who else is coming?"

"Jessica, Mike, Erik, Tyler and a few other kids from school. Oh and Jacob and his friend Seth too," she stated.

"Sounds good," she said and let out a sigh, watching the road through her window as they drove in silence.

Within fifteen minutes, they made it to the outskirts of the beach and Angela parked next to Tyler's van. As they stepped out of the car, Bella glanced around herself at the view. There was a fairly large lodge behind the parking lot for tourists while the beach itself was located at the base of a small hill. The beach was long and wide and covered a good area of the ground.

"Come on," Angela said, grabbing her bag and a couple blankets before heading towards the beach.

Bella quietly followed her as they made neared their small group of friends. They had created a small bonfire and were seated in a circle around it. There were about five faces that Bella didn't recognize, but she felt at ease when she saw her friends.

"Bella!" Mike exclaimed excitedly.

"Hey guys," she replied, offering them a half-hearted smile.

Her eyes then landed on Jacob and Seth who both offered her welcoming smiles. She made her way towards them and sat down next to Jacob while the others began scattering to their own seats.

"You look terrible," Jacob said with a laugh.

"I didn't really sleep last night," she mumbled and ran a hand through her hair.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure you have an unforgettable night," Jacob said before linking his hand through hers.

She jumped lightly at the sudden contact, but recovered quickly. His closeness was making her slightly uncomfortable, but she hid her face behind her hair. Seth noticed her unease while Jacob looked around the camp with a beaming smile. Minutes passed before Angela took a seat on her vacant side and Bella used the opportunity to break free from Jacob's firm grip.

"Hey," she said sweetly as Bella smiled at her. "Do you want to go for a walk? Some girl talk?"

"Yeah, sure," she replied as they both got to their feet.

"Where are you going?" Jacob asked, his question getting everyone's attention.

"We're going to go for a walk," Bella replied before turning to follow Angela down the beach.

What she missed was the dark look in Jacob's eyes as he watched her leave. He was upset at the little time they had spent together.

"So what's going on?" Angela began once they were out of hearing range.

"They're back," Bella blurted out, desperate to discuss their reappearance with someone.

Jacob was out of the question for he despised the Cullens with a hatred that surprised even her. Jessica was too busy trying to get Mike's attention and Mike and Tyler were to busy trying to get Bella's. Her final option was Angela, her one true friend from her high school.

"The Cullens?" Angela asked with wide eyes as Bella nodded. "When?"

"Just today," she replied and sighed once more. "I don't know how I'm supposed to feel. I should hate him."

"Well, forget about how you're supposed to feel or what everyone expects," Angela said as they stopped and faced one another. "How _do_ you feel?"

Bella thought it over for a moment, going over everything that had happened ever since her arrival in Forks. She remembered how distant he had been at first, the day he had saved her from Tyler's van, when he had rescued her in Port Angeles, the day he revealed himself to her, their first kiss, meeting his family, the attack from James and prom. She then remembered her birthday and Japser's incident, weeks of distance from him and finally the moment he broke up with her. She dreamt of him every night and her heart ached for him every second. There was no doubt that she still loved him, but could she forgive him for leaving her? After everything Alice had told her last night, Bella was more confused then ever.

"I really don't know," she finally said.

"Have you seen them…_him_ yet?" Angela asked carefully.

"Not yet," she replied. "I'm not even sure that I want to."

"Well, whatever you decide in the end, I think you need to see him once more," Angela offered.

"What do you mean?" she asked with a slight frown.

"Well, if nothing else, you could get closure," she expressed.

Bella thought about it for another moment before eventually nodding.

"So what's going on with your friend Jacob?" she asked as they continued their walk.

"What do you mean?" Bella asked absently, her mind elsewhere.

"Don't you know that he's in love with you?" Angela asked with a small smile as Bella's head whipped in her direction. "It's really obvious, Bella. Just the way he's always around you and staring at you."

"We're just friends," Bella argued.

"Yeah, I know _you're_ just friends with him, but can he say the same?" she asked as Bella looked back towards the group they had left behind.

She noticed Jacob's eyes on her and he immediately looked away when she caught him staring. Another wave of discomfort washed through her as she turned back to her friend.

"I've told him a bunch of times," she finally said. "He knows."

"Whatever you say," Angela said with a small laugh before pulling her back towards the group.

As they reached their friends, Bella's discomfort simply began to grow with Jacob's unwavering gaze.

"Hey," he said, taking her hand and leading her back to her seat.

She sat down without a smile as he sat next to her.

"Bella, what's going on? Last night you ditched me and I was so worried. Then when I called Charlie, he told me you went to sleep," he began as she faced him. "What's going on? Why did you cancel on me yesterday?"

"I just didn't feel like hanging out," she replied.

"But why? I thought we were friends," he said.

"Yes, Jacob, we're _friends_ and only friends," she said.

The look of hurt in his eyes made her immediately regret what she had said.

"Look, I just feel like I need a bit of space, that's all," she stated.

"Space from what?" he asked with a frown.

"Jake, I feel a bit uncomfortable with you always staring at me or wanting to hang out all the time," she tried explaining herself.

"It never bothered you when _he_ did it," he spat at her.

The sudden venom in his voice almost scared her. As she glanced through her friends, she saw that they were all immersed in their own conversations, oblivious to the sudden turn their conversation had taken.

"Jake," she said softly, trying to remove the darkness clouding them. "It was different with him."

"Why?" he snapped at her.

"Because I loved him," she stated simply.

"And you don't love _me_?" he snapped at her, but his voice was too low to draw any attention from the others.

"You know I do," she exclaimed defensively. "You're my best friend, Jake. But how I love you is different from what I feel for him."

"Why are you talking in the present tense?" he demanded and Bella quickly looked away. "He's already visited you, hasn't he?"

Bella's head immediately turned in his direction. "What?"

"I know they're back, Bella," he said with a low growl. "We've known of their decision to return for a few days at the reservation."

"And you never said anything to me?" she said, hurt that he had kept it a secret.

"He's hurt you enough! I didn't want him to have any more of this unnatural power over you!" he exclaimed.

"It's not unnatural, Jake," she said, her own anger rising.

"This is all beside the point," he said and grabbed her arm tightly.

"Jake, you're hurting me," she pleaded but he refused to let her arm go.

"Have you seen him?" he demanded.

"No!" she snapped at him.

"And are you planning on seeing him?" he continued.

"No!" she expressed.

He immediately released her arm and all evidence of anger left his face.

"Good," he said with a broad smile.

His behavior left her confused and angry. He had hurt her arm and for a few moments, he had become someone she didn't recognize. She would go so far to say that he had scared her. Rubbing her arm, she looked away as he sighed.

"Bella, I'm sorry," he said in a sweet voice. "Will you forgive me? I just hate the thought of him being around you."

"Because he left and hurt me?" she asked and he nodded.

"You deserve so much better than him, Bella," he continued.

"Like who?" she asked, not daring to ask the question she wanted to.

"One day you'll open your eyes and see what's right in front of you," he said and rose to his feet. "I'll be right back."

She watched him walk around the fire to where Seth and Erik were talking. Looking away from him, Bella was unsure what to make of their conversation. Not wanting to be near him for the moment, she got to her feet and moved towards Angela and Jessica.

The rest of the evening went by in a similar fashion. The discomfort she had been feeling refused to leave, but Jacob had been acting like a perfect friend and gentleman. He acted as if their conversation from before had never happened. As she sat around the fire confused, little did she know that _he_ was about to reenter her life.

On the other end of the beach was another lot where many other individuals had parked their vehicles. As Jasper's jeep came to a sudden stop, he and Alice stepped out followed by Rosalie and Emmet and finally Edward. He was dressed in black pants, a black shirt and a black coat on top, the color of his clothes showing his mood. His body was still a pale but shimmering tone of marble while his face was as handsome as ever. His eyes carried the same intensity as before, only now the passion was mixed with sadness.

"Alice, tell me again why we're here," he said in a quiet voice as she turned to face him.

"We're here to help Jasper," she lied.

As Edward concentrated on her mind to see what she was thinking, all he heard was the alphabet being sang slowly.

"Then why are you trying to block your thoughts from me?" he asked as she looked at him innocently.

"I don't know what you mean," she said and led the group towards the beach.

As Edward trailed behind them, he picked through each of their minds but concluded that no one knew of Alice's ulterior motive. Once they reached the edge of the sand, they looked around themselves at the many people who were camping and partying around the large area.

"Alice…," Edward began, knowing deep down that something was off.

"Just trust me, Edward," she said sweetly before looking through the people.

Her eyes suddenly landed on the girl she was looking for. Across the beach, Bella felt a pair of eyes on her and she immediately thought it was Jacob. When she realized that Jacob and Seth were to her left, locked in a conversation, she looked through the vast space until her eyes caught hold of Alice. She let out a small gasp, one that was heard by everyone in her group.

"Bella, are you okay?" Jacob asked, moving towards her as everyone else watched her in confusion.

Jacob continued trying to get her attention, but her eyes remained glued on the petite brunette across the beach. She finally tore her eyes away and noticed Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie standing around her. It was then that Bella saw the tip of another head behind the four of them and knew that it was _him_. He heart stopped beating as she slowly rose to her feet, her actions causing her friends to look at her with concern.

"Bella?" Jacob tried again, but his voice was a distant humming in her mind.

"Alice," Jasper said, seeing Bella from across the sand. "You shouldn't have done this."

"Done what?" Edward asked from behind them.

When he received no response, he dug through Jasper's mind and came across what he had seen. His body suddenly stiffened at the thought of who was out there, his reaction causing the others to turn towards him.

"Edward," Alice pleaded, seeing the anger in his eyes. "Don't be mad at me. I saw her coming here in a vision and I knew you'd never go to her unless I tricked you. The two of you need to talk."

He remained completely silent and stared at her, the darkness in his eyes causing Alice to look away.

"Please don't be mad," she whispered.

With that, she leaned in and placed a careful kiss on his cheek before running back to the car. Jasper and Emmett offered him apologetic looks while Rosalie let out a scoff before the followed Alice.

From across the sand, Bella watched as the others scattered away and her eyes finally landed on _him_. Even from so far away, he looked breathtakingly handsome and untouchable. She let out another gasp, this one louder than the one before. Her behavior caused her friends to glance around the beach until everyone finally noticed who she had been staring at. Angela couldn't help but smile while the rest of the boys grew angry. Jacob let out a low growl from next to her, but she couldn't pull her eyes away to calm him down.

Sighing, Edward faced forward again and his eyes immediately found hers. He wasn't prepared for how he would feel when he saw her again, but his reaction was even stronger than how he had predicted it. His non-existent heart broke in half the second his eyes met hers and a heavy wave of sadness filled him. He stood completely frozen in his spot, unable to move or look away.

"What is _he_ doing here?" Jacob growled before turning to her. "Bella, let's get out of here."

When she didn't respond, he grabbed her arm to pull her out of her daze. She shook her head and yanked her arm out of his grip, the curtness of her move surprising him.

"Bella," he said before realizing what she was going to do. "No, you don't have to talk to him!"

"I want to," she said and moved away.

"Bella, no!" Jacob said and pulled her back to him.

Edward watched him grab her and a part of him wanted to peal his werewolf paws off of her, but another part forced him to stay where he was.

"Let go!" Bella snapped.

He was hurt by her response, but she wasn't about to feel any sympathy for him. Turning her gaze back forward, she began to slowly walk across the sand while everyone watched her go. As Edward watched her near him, his breath got caught in his throat. Although vampires didn't need to breathe air in order to stay alive, it had become a habit for the Cullens in their effort to blend in with the humans.

Their gaze never wavered as Bella took the final steps towards him. When she stood a mere few inches away, her hand slapped his left cheek with a force she never knew she had. He looked away at the slight pain it had caused while Jacob smiled from their camp. Before Edward was able to speak, her other hand slapped his right cheek as he clenched his teeth. She breathed heavily and waited for a reaction, but he spoke no words.

"Say something!" she snapped at him.

He remained silent, keeping his eyes focused on the ground between them. Frustrated at his lack of response, she violently pushed him. He stumbled back a few steps, but refused to look at her.  
"Say something!" she screamed before pounding her fists into his chest. "You left! You _left_!"

He was unable to form any words that would remove the anger from her voice or the hurt from her eyes.

"Did you ever even love me?!" she demanded, desperately wanting him to confirm Alice's words from last night. "Or was it all an act?"

Finally finding the courage, his eyes found hers and the sadness she saw in them made her anger wash away. She remembered the pain she'd felt when he had left her, but more importantly she remembered the love she had felt for him…the love that she still felt for him.

"I never meant to hurt you," he finally said, his voice sounding angelic. "I'm sorry."

With that, he pulled away and walked back towards the parking lot as she watched him go. Within a few seconds he was gone as tears began forming in Bella's eyes. She hadn't wanted to hit him, but she needed him to understand how hurt she had been. But the look in his eyes made her regret pushing him away when all she had wanted to do was hold him in her arms and never let go. Pulling out of her thoughts, she ran after him into the parking lot only to find that he had disappeared.

"Edward…," she cried as she stared into the darkness of the night surrounding her.


End file.
